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The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:
Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, Mr Justice Barnabas Fung Wah, reminded electors to follow proper procedures when voting in the 2010 Legislative Council (LegCo) By-election today (May 16).
"Electors should bring along their Hong Kong Identity Card to their designated polling station specified on the poll card," Mr Justice Fung said after visiting the polling station at Leighton Hill Community Hall in Happy Valley this morning.
"Voting is simple. Electors should use the chop provided to stamp a 'tick' in the circle opposite the name of their chosen candidate, and fold the ballot paper inward in half before putting it into the ballot box," he said.
Mr Justice Fung also reminded electors about the importance of safeguarding the secrecy of votes.
"Electors should mark the ballot papers by themselves inside a voting compartment. An elector in need may ask the Presiding Officer or his deputy to mark the ballot paper on his behalf, in the presence of a polling officer as witness," he said.
Electors must not use mobile phones or other electronic communication devices, take photographs, or do video or audio recording inside a polling station.
A total of 543 polling stations across Hong Kong are open today for more than 3.37 million registered electors to cast their vote in the by-election. 516 of them are ordinary polling stations which are open from 7.30am to 10.30pm.
Arrangements are made to facilitate imprisoned, remanded and detained electors to cast their votes in the by-election.
Twenty-three dedicated polling stations are open in penal institutions for registered electors who are imprisoned or remanded under the custody of the Correctional Services Department to cast their votes. For security reasons, the polling hours of these dedicated polling stations are from 9am to 4pm.
Four dedicated polling stations are set up in police stations for registered electors who are remanded or detained by law enforcement agencies (other than the Correctional Services Department) to cast their votes. The polling hours are from 7.30am to 10.30pm.
"The voting procedure for electors and the venue set up at the dedicated polling stations is basically the same as that of the ordinary polling stations," Mr Justice Fung said.
Mr Justice Fung and the other two Commission members, Mr Lawrence Lok Ying-kam, SC, and Professor Andrew Chan Chi-fai, will inspect various ordinary polling stations and dedicated polling stations across Hong Kong during the day to see how electoral activities are conducted.
Twenty-four candidates are contesting in the 2010 LegCo By-election to fill one vacant seat in each of the five geographical constituencies.
As at 10.30 am, 75,770 electors have voted, bringing the cumulative turnout rate to 2.25%.
Hourly voter turnouts and election results can be found at the election website at www.elections.gov.hk.
Electors can refer to their poll card about the location of their designated polling station. For enquiries, they can call the election hotline at 2891 1001.
Complaints about the by-election can be made to the hotline 2827 7251.
Ends/Sunday, May 16, 2010
Issued at HKT 12:34
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